


Madman and The Lizard King

by took_skye



Series: Crazy Is As Crazy Does [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1960s, Alternate Universe - 1970s, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Gen, Mental Institutions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-13
Updated: 2011-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-23 00:50:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/244434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/took_skye/pseuds/took_skye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>“Aaron,” Dr Rossi called the other young man’s attention gently. “Aaron, this is George. George, Aaron. You two are going to be roommates."</i></p><p>~ This is a youth-based AU set in a mental facility circa late 1960s/early 1970s.  Some discussion of child abuse and sexuality in general, but nothing graphic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Madman and The Lizard King

  
_"Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage." ~ Ray Bradbury, The Meadow_

***///***

The youth looked like a tin solider; ramrod posture with a crew-cut of black hair and suit of matching color. His hands were cuffed behind him.

“Aaron Hotchner, that right?” The psychiatrist looked up from his forms. He was a conservative late-30-something hippie in a suit with bushy hair and a goatee.

“Yes sir.” The teen’s eyes rose from under furrowed brows, his expression dark and angry. His face said he wanted nothing more than to lunge at the doctor’s throat; a harsh contrast to the soft, polite, voice.

The man’s responding smile went all the way up to his eyes. “Well, Aaron, my name is Dr David Rossi. I head the Boy’s Ward here at the Formative Behavioral Institute. Most those here just go with Rossi so feel free to do the same.”

“Okay.”

“The guy standing next to me in the white is Sam, he’s an orderly here.” No response from the boy. “Good guy…amazing skater.”

Sam smiled at the oft-told joke before he stepped forward. “The officer’s going to uncuff you, after that you’ll officially be in our custody. I’ll be staying beside or behind you as Dr Rossi starts the tour. Provided you stay calm and under control I will not touch you. Do you understand?” The spiel was automatic, like the smile at Dr Rossi’s joke, but he was equally serious each time he spoke it.

Aaron nodded, but stayed quiet as he felt the cuffs relax and fall away from his wrists. When able he brought his hands to the front and began to crack his joints. The sound they made was almost disturbingly grotesque, like the breaking of bones. After a brief unfocusing of the eyes with the popping of his neck Aaron set his glare back into place on the doctor. “Can we start now?”

“If you like.”

“Sure.” Aaron would rather get the basics over with, would rather get settled in and let The Man start fiddling with his mind to figure out and “fix” whatever was wrong with him…it wasn’t like he had another option anyway. He’d been committed. The youth didn’t think he was criminally insane, but this was preferable to prison so why argue? And maybe the courts had been correct…how does one even know if they’re crazy or not anyway?

***

PATIENT INTAKE FORM

 **Date:** July 5, 1969  
 **Patient:** Aaron Christopher Hotchner

 **DOB:** November 2, 1953  
 **Gender:** Male  
 **Age:** 15  
 **Marital Status:** Single  
 **Place of Examination:** Formative Behavioral Institute

 **Presenting Problem:** Aaron is a heterosexual 15-year-old Caucasian male who has been sent here on court order after being found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, but criminally insane at the time of the act. When questioned about it Aaron reports the inability to recall the specifics of the act, only that he was arguing with his girlfriend, felt like he would “explode”, and then “snapped”. Upon being asked if he feels guilt over what he’s done Aaron waivers between contrition and growing angry concerning the incident as a whole.

Aaron describes himself as having “a short fuse”, someone who would “rather be in charge or left alone” and who frequently finds himself in trouble for his temper and fighting at school as well as in the neighborhood. When asked if he had a way of coping with his anger Aaron discussed tucking himself in a closet at home, but that since his younger brother has become mobile he’s been unable to use this method as often – “he keeps finding me, like we’re playing a fucking game or something”

 **Behavioral Observations:** Aaron arrived at the institute cuffed as was police protocol, but otherwise was appropriately, if not professionally, dressed. While cooperative and polite Aaron’s affect was distant, cold, and occasionally bordering on intimidating and aggressive.

 **Family History:** Aaron’s parents, Christopher and Mary-Ann Hotchner are both alive and still married, though at the current point in time reports suggest the home to be somewhat chaotic with domestic disputes a common occurrence. Aaron also has a younger brother, Sean, who is approximately 18months old. While Aaron claims Sean is “a constant pain in my ass” the behavior Aaron finds annoying is the norm for a child of Sean’s age.

Aaron describes his home-life as “fine”, but refuses to elaborate on the subject. In a brief discussion with his parents the same description is given. Body language from all members indicates a great deal is being withheld. When Aaron’s history of injuries and hospital stays over the years comes up excuses of clumsiness and a propensity for fighting (among other things) are given. Upon further pressing Aaron refused to speak on the topic anymore and his parents stopped their interview altogether.

 **Relationship History:** Aaron is not currently in a romantic or sexual relationship, though he was until very recently. From ages 14 to 15 Aaron was in a romantic relationship with Haley Brooks who Aaron continues to profess love for despite admitting he “apparently” killed her. When asked about sexual activity with Haley or other girls Aaron shakes his head, seems almost shy about verbalizing on the topic. My conclusion at this moment is that Aaron is not, nor has ever been, sexually active to this date.

 **Occupational History:** Thus far Aaron’s work experience has as been as a paperboy and “helping out” at his father’s law firm for which he was paid small amounts in cash. He explains that he enjoyed both jobs and likes the concept of working for something as a whole – “I like that I can do something to help and get money to save for important things later”. All indications are that he did well at his jobs provided he was given a task and left to complete it in his own manner…however when a client on his paper-route attempted to correct him in some manner Aaron destroyed a piece of the man’s property and was promptly fired from the job.

 **Medical History:** At the current point in time Aaron shows no recent signs of injury or illness. He suffers from partial deafness in one ear from an undisclosed trauma at 10.

Aaron has a long documented history of various injuries since his early childhood, but the causes of them are mainly written up as “accidental”, “unknown”, or “conflicting story given”.

Aaron confesses to drinking alcohol “rarely…at parties or to calm down” and smoking cigarettes, but has never taken illegal drugs recreationally or otherwise.

 **Summary and Differential Diagnostic Impressions:** Given Aaron’s history of violent outbursts and inability to control his aggression coupled with the feeling of tension before, but guilt after, a preliminary diagnosis of an unclassified mood disorder in appropriate.

Given Aaron’s indifference or possible inability to connect along with some times sharp contradictions between emotions verbalized and acts committed a diagnosis of an avoidant personality disorder may also be appropriate.

In addition, and for above-mentioned reasons, Aaron may also qualify for sociopathic personality disorder. However the examiner has chosen to leave this option as a rule-out pending further observation.

***

He stayed respectfully silent as Dr Rossi ran down the basics of the institute: the buildings, the rules, the expectations, the schedules. Everything had its place and purpose, allotted a space for consideration and level of importance. There was little space for chaos to grow out-of-control. It was comforting, refreshing, like a warm hug.

“Don’t worry, there’s a basic schedule posted in every room and one included in the packet we gave you.” Dr Rossi gave Aaron reassurance he doubted the youth needed. “This is where your dorm will be,” he finished the tour on the second floor of the boys’ dorm building. “All the floors of the dormitories are pretty much the same. You got your living area here and down the halls are your rooms, bathrooms and showers, both public and private, and secure rooms at the very end.”

Aaron walked in, took the temperature of the room; he was good at it, at home he could look at the liquor bottles and the mess in the living room and read their sinister intent and formulate a way to stay out of the house for the day. When everything was neat, the peace would remain fragile but bearable.

Yet this room was slightly off. Not messy, nothing that carried a warning, but still askew. Drawings were taped to the walls randomly, furniture didn’t match, and the windows had bars instead of curtains. Then there was the quiet. It was almost intrusive in a tense form that made Aaron’s body buzz in nervous energy.

The boy began to focus in on those around him, narrowing in on his peers. The few that were out were either talking quietly to each other, staring out the window, or gathered before the small TV set watching the news.

On a decomposing couch sat a scrawny kid in Coke-bottle glasses with a blank stare, a heavy-set older boy with frizzed hair against the arm of the couch, his fingers of one hand curled at his lips thoughtfully, and an African American youth who made a snarling face at what was being said. All seemed together, but lost in their own world as well.

 _“A young couple was found shot last night in Blue Rock Spring Park, Vallejo, California. Details are still sketchy, but, it’s believed, that the shooter was the man who called in the crime. The caller also took credit for the murders of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen this past December…”_

“Oh, good, George, you’re here.”

A teen with sandy hair and disarming smile who’d been forward in a lounge chair, elbows on knees and face gobsmacked, pulled his attention from the TV to Dr Rossi. “Yeah?”

“Aaron,” Dr Rossi called the other young man’s attention gently. “Aaron, this is George. George, Aaron. You two are going to be roommates."

“Hey,” Aaron said noncommittally.

The golden boy straightened up quick with a bright smile. “Hey.” He looked like a Kennedy, sounded a bit like one too. Maybe he was one. “Hey, they’re putting on reruns of _The Twilight Zone_ after the news, wanna watch?”

Aaron shrugged. “Okay.”

“You _do_ like _The Twilight Zone_ , don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“How ya feel about _Dark Shadows_?”

“It’s cool.”

“Right on,” George smiled at finding a like-minded individual.

***

July 5, 1969

In accordance to treatment I’ll write out my feelings in this. Here it goes.

I’m annoyed and tired and I don’t know how I got here. I don’t want to go home, but I don’t want to stay here either. There should be a reset button on life.

I want Haley back but the thought her, the very thought of her, pisses me off. If she were here I know I’d do it again and hate myself after just as much. How could she have done that to me? How could I have done that to her?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG ~~WITH US?~~!?!

I’m tired. First group in the morning. I’m going to bed.

At least roommate seems normal.

Staff better keep their promise of not reading this.

Aaron

***

July 6, 1969

New roomie through the revolving door, but this one looks like a keeper! Whole night spent and I didn’t once want to stab him repeatedly with a pencil…I think they call that growth. Either that or I was too tired to bother. We’ll find out soon enough.

Group this morning, which should be interesting with the newbie since he doesn’t seem like the “open up and share your feelings” type. I smell trouble coming down the pike and it’s sooooo sweet.

I think Em’s outta isolation so she should be there too. To be honest I’m pretty psyched about that. Fuck I’ve missed her. I actually miss her! I didn’t really think I could miss someone, but I miss her. It’s the like-mindedness, I think. She gets me, I get her…we feel each other’s vibes and groove off them. Think her and Aaron will get along. We’ll see.

Right, sooo…bored now! Laters!

Stay gold!

***

George closed the journal, set some clear tape over the open edge to booby-trap it, and then shifted to stuff it under his mattress. Psychs could claim they didn’t read it all they wanted, but he didn’t have to believe them. Not that he cared much about someone reading it; he just wanted to know if someone did.

He looked up as his door opened and the new roommate slipped in dressed and showered. The youth smirked. “You goin’ to church?”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you look like you’re 'bout to go to church.” George chuckled. “Relax, Aaron. Things go so much easier if you just…relax.” The boy stood up. “It’s too early in the morning to be wound so tight anyway.”

“I intend to take the therapies seriously.”

“No one says you gotta dress like a G-man to do it,” the youth shrugged out.

“This is how I dress.”

“No, that’s how your parents dress ya.” George moved to grab some clothes from his dresser and smirked. “They’re not here so how ‘bout you try living a little? Pair of jeans and tee-shirt won’t kill ya, but I will if you stay this tight-assed all the time.”

The urge to strike out rose, but Aaron swallowed it down through gritted teeth. “I don’t have many other options.” Not much of an argument, but it was the truth.

“Ya need clothes?”

“No!” Aaron snapped. He could feel his pores opening slightly as the sweat crept up towards his skin and heart began to race against his ribcage. Aaron recognized this feeling by now, it came right before he snapped. He took a deep breath in and huffed it out. “I’m wearing this. These are my clothes and I’m wearing them.”

George eyed his roommate carefully as he debated pushing him, but decided against it. He shrugged. “Fine, never mind.” Clearly Aaron wasn’t going to be the type that he could just tell what to do, George would have to find another way to get Aaron to see things his way. “Can I at least walk with ya to group? It’ll make me look good and I’ll give ya the skinny on the others there.”

“Okay,” Aaron felt his body start to relax. “That’s fine.” At least that was an offer instead of an order.

***

George already had the cigarette between his lips and ready to go by the time the two boys had entered the living area. He patted his pockets once again with curses. “Fuck it,” he pulled the cigarette out. “We’ll drop by the nurses’ station and see if Pen’s gotta light.”

“Pen?” Aaron questioned.

“Penelope Garcia, she’s the head day-nurse on our floor,” George explained. “You missed her yesterday cause she’d already gone home. You’ll like her, she’s cool.”

Penelope Garcia was a hippie through and through with flowers in her hair and a peace sign on her shirt. Technically she should’ve been wearing a nurse’s uniform, but she never did and most people liked her all the better for it. She was sweet and while she didn’t exactly let rule-breaking slide she wasn’t as tough with the punishments as others were.

“Pen!” George hollered, smiled when she looked up from her small TV.

Garcia smiled back pleasantly. “Good morning, George.” Her eyes then flicked to the other boy. “Oh, you must be Aaron Hotchner.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Aaron replied politely.

“Oh, please, just call me Pen or Penelope or Garcia, whatever you like really. I’m not into that establishment stuff.”

“Okay…Garcia.”

George started to laugh as he leaned on the desk. “Aaron here’s a little pro-establishment.”

“That’s okay too, George.”

The boy in blue jeans, tee, and sandals scoffed a little at the suggestion, but let it go in favor of his own issues. “You gotta light, Pen?”

“Of course.” The woman dug into her oversized bag and pulled out a Zippo.

“Then com’ on baby, light my fire,” George cracked as he hopped onto the desk and leaned towards the nurse with the cigarette back to his smirking lips. He let the smoke out with the cigarette and handed it over to Aaron. “Ya want?”

Aaron paused a moment, unsure, then gave a hint of a smile. “Thanks.” He hadn’t a cigarette since he left holding in juvie the day before.

“Aw, well isn’t that nice,” Pen noted with genuine sweetness.

George smiled to himself knowing he’d get credit for this. Pen would write it down in her nurse’s notes and he’d get a little star or two next to his name. Enough little stars and he could get himself a prize: soda, candy, cigarettes, leniency on his next bad act. It was juvenile and pathetic, made George wonder just how stupid the staff was, but he played along nevertheless. He used it to his advantage…if he was going to seem like a good guy he made sure he had an audience for it.

Garcia lit another cigarette for George before she shooed them off to group.

***

“So our therapist is a woman?” Aaron stepped into the school building.

George nodded. “This one is, yeah. She’s kinda a pain, but she’s hot as hell so it sorta evens out.” He flicked his used up butt down a side hall and kept going.

“Do I call her Ms Morris or Dr Morris?”

“What the fuck do I care?”

“This is my first day, I don’t want to make a mistake and risk offending someone, George.”

“I don’t know…call her Dr Morris, I guess.”

“Is that what you call her?” Aaron asked.

George sighed as he stopped before a classroom. “Most the time, yeah. Truth is, provided you don’t try to kill someone in this first session, you’ll probably be ahead of the game.” The teen went to open the door, but then paused. “One thing though.”

“What?”

“Morris is…a little experimental in her therapy.”

“Experimental?”

“Yeah.” George looked around conspiratorially before he put an arm around Aaron’s shoulders and dropped his voice. “She’s into, ya know, freeing your mind and soul through your body.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, as much as you seem to wanna wear that suit, you won’t get to for very long with her sessions.”

Aaron’s gut kicked in and his eyes narrowed into his roommate’s. “You’re messing with me.”

“Totally,” George confessed with a laugh and playful slap to Aaron’s back. At least his new roommate wasn’t as gullible as some of the others.

***

PATIENT INTAKE FORM

 **Date:** December 14, 1964  
 **Patient:** George Patrick Foyet (born George Patrick Collins)

 **DOB:** July 22, 1954  
 **Gender:** Male  
 **Age:** 10  
 **Marital Status:** Single  
 **Place of Examination:** Formative Behavioral Institute

 **Presenting Problem:** George is a 10-year-old Caucasian male who has been sent here as part of a plea agreement after trying to kill a classmate, Amanda. When questioned about the incident George simply shrugged and smiled with the response “I just wanted to see what it was like to stab someone.” Upon being asked if he knew what he did was wrong George nods.

George describes himself as “happy” and “a good kid” despite a fairly long record of misbehavior both in and out of school. He seems to show little concern for his current legal troubles or how his actions may have affected those around him. While court records indicate he apologized to the victim and her family the boy himself confesses he “didn’t really mean it”.

 **Behavioral Observations:** George was brought into the institute by his parents and one officer to ensure the intake was followed through. The boy was clean, well-dressed, and appeared well cared for overall upon his arrival. While George was out-going, friendly, and polite to start he quickly grew bored and began to act out by attempting to control or otherwise disrupt the initial interviews.

 **Family History:** George’s birth parents, Stephen and Helene Collins, died in a car accident when George was 9. Police and hospital records indicate George’s childhood with them as heavily abusive, though little effort seems to have been made to remove the child from the home. George was in the car at the time of the crash that killed them, but managed to walk from the crash with relatively minor injuries.

After little over a week of recovery in the hospital the head of the surgical department there, Dr John Foyet, and his wife, Lynn, promptly adopted George. From all appearances the Foyet home seems to be a stable, nurturing, environment. George says he likes living there and that his new parents are “super nice”.

 **Relationship History:** George has not yet been in any romantic or sexual relationship. However he demonstrated at least a clinical understanding of sexual intercourse and, though unsubstantiated, discussions with school staff suggest he might have experimented sexually with some of his classmates, including his victim, Amanda.

When asked about girls George described them as “big babies”, but did confess that he found some “pretty”.

 **Occupational History:** George has no occupational history to speak off. He receives an allowance for which he is supposed to do chores (clean room, make bed, etc), but confesses he rarely performs the duties assigned him. When asked why his parents believe he does them George explains he pays the house staff with his allowance. The allowance is unneeded since “[my parents] buy me anything I want anyway,” the boy notes.

 **Medical History:** George is currently a healthy child up on his immunizations and within the normal range in growth and development for his age group. Despite early childhood abuse and the car accident he bears no long-lasting scars or signs of physical impairment.

George confesses to drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes when he can “sneak it” and sometimes smoking marijuana with older boys when they offer it to him.

 **Summary and Differential Diagnostic Impressions:** Given George’s crime and his knowledge of right and wrong, but seeming nonchalance about it, a preliminary diagnosis of sociopathic personality disorder has been given.

Due to George’s seeming belief that rules do not apply to him, that he is continually correct (even when he is disproved), and that he is just “better than others” a diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder may also be appropriate.

At this time, given George’s age and the fact his development is ongoing, no other diagnoses will be made.

***///***

 _"You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy." ~ Charles Manson_


End file.
